“Wait, was that a Sacred Blade or just another Root Resin?”
Elden Ring: Nightreign has been out less than a week, and it’s already conquered the Lands Between and beyond—racking up over 3.5 million copies sold in five days. FromSoftware’s roguelike spin-off has players co-op diving into chaotic, procedurally generated deathruns, and loving (almost) every minute of it. But amid all the dungeon-delving hype, there’s one thing turning Tarnished triumphs into tragic fumbles: the item drop UI.
The Glowing Mystery of the Ground Loot
Here’s the problem. In Nightreign, item drops all have the same generic glowing sparkle on the ground. Whether it’s a busted wooden club or a game-changing incantation, it just looks like “shiny object number #492.” There’s no quick way to know what kind of item it is without interrupting your rhythm, stopping mid-swing, and praying that you’re not bending down to pick up a crab apple while your friend is being eviscerated by a Wailing Shadowknight.
Reddit user u/TarnishedTommy nailed it in a recent post: “I’m in a room with two seconds to decide what to grab. I see a glow. It might be a legendary katana. It might be mushrooms. I die.”
FromSoftware Fans Want a Loot Legibility Patch
The community isn’t asking for hand-holding—they just want to know what the hell they’re picking up. Players have suggested all sorts of fixes:
- Color-coded glows based on item rarity or type
- Small item icons hovering above the loot
- Contextual pop-up labels when you’re within grabbing distance
Basically, think Diablo or Borderlands, but with that Elden Ring elegance. A glow-up, not a glow-down.
Some even joked about bringing back the good ol’ chest mimics, just to make looting a different kind of gamble.
Why This Actually Matters
This isn’t just a cosmetic gripe. In a roguelike where survival depends on snap decisions, gear choices, and limited time to act, this lack of visual clarity actively punishes players for exploring. It breaks the tempo, kills the momentum, and leads to more rage-quits than Ulcerated Tree Spirits ever could.
Imagine this: You’re two bosses deep, low on flasks, and a glow in the corner might be your ticket to salvation. You dash over… and it’s a single Hefty Beast Bone. GG, gamer.
Will FromSoft Listen?
FromSoftware hasn’t addressed the feedback yet, but their track record with community engagement gives hope. Elden Ring proper got tons of post-launch QoL updates, like inventory streamlining and map markers. And let’s be honest: if they can add skateboarding to the game (okay, not yet, but fingers crossed), they can definitely add a loot tag.
Until then, it’s up to the Tarnished to either memorize item drop locations (good luck, it’s procedurally generated) or gamble every time the floor sparkles. Praise the RNG.
The Verdict? Loot Confusion Is the Real Final Boss
The grind is real, the loot is confusing, and the community is vocal. Whether you’re a lore hunter or a sweatlord speedrunner, you’ve probably cursed the sparkle at least once.
Here’s hoping Nightreign gets a loot interface as legendary as its gameplay.
Have you been duped by a glowing dud? What UI upgrade would you summon into the game? Drop your suggestions (and your funniest loot fumbles) in the comments below!
